Broken Dam, Broken Life, Broken Mind
by TheGalInBlack
Summary: Annie Cresta: broken, crazy, alone. These are just some of the words used to describe her. But she wasn't always like this. Once, she had a life, a family, a future. Once, she had hope. The Capitol took it all, but her story deserves to be told. New chapters will be sporadic.
1. The Reaping

A/N: Hi,guys. I just wanted to say that this is my first fanfic, so please go easy on me and forgive any of my mistakes. Enjoy and please review if you have got the time!

Broken Dam, Broken Life, Broken Mind.

Chapter 1: The Reaping

The metal plate rises, sixty seconds on the clock. I look around, taking half of my precious time to survey my sorroundings. Thirty seconds. I position my feet towards the Cornucopia. The gong sounds and I race forward. I am ahead of most of the others, and I reach the weapons first. Grabbing a spear I swiftly turn to face my enemies.A manic scream grabs my attention and I turn to face the monstrous boy racing towards me. My spear is useless at this range and I can do nothing but scream as he raises his sword and brings it down in a flash of silver. I flinch, my eyes closed, waiting for the end-and wake with a gasp. My heart takes a moment to slow and I have to keep reminding myself that I am okay, not in the arena, not about to die. My sweat-soaked sheets are tangled around my legs, a sure sign that I had been writhing uncontrollably in my sleep. I get up and dress, my heart still fluttering weakly, knowing that it's pointless trying to get back to sleep. Not after that. I prepare for the big day.

* * *

After dressing, I head for the beach. It's only a couple of minutes from my house on foot. I strip to my underwear and float in the calm water, thinking of past Hunger Games and this year's Tributes. I have no siblings, so I have only my friends and myself to worry about. These thoughts begin to upset me so I dress quickly and head back to the house. My dad is awake by the time I get home and I prepare breakfast for both of us. We eat and clean up silently and finally, as he sits and reads his newspaper and I fiddle with my hair nervously, he speaks, 'Annie, honey, do you want to talk about anything, the Reaping?' I swallow and my voice comes out a worried croak. 'Dad, it's just -I'm- I'm so nervous about the Reaping!' He opens his arms and I hug him tightly. He strokes my hair and whispers soothingly in my ear. 'Everything is going to be fine, Annie. Don't worry.' Even though these are empty promises, they reassure me slightly and I feel better. With only a few hours left before we have to leave I dress. I tie my hair back into a french plait with a ribbon. I'm ready. I sit and try to will away the hours until the Reaping.

* * *

My dad and I reach the District Square at ten to two. We hug briefly, before I move off to the fifteen-year old's section. I stand beside my best-and only- friend, Emily, and try to ignore the camera crews that hover like flies on a beached whale. At exactly two o'clock the Mayor takes to the stage and begins to recite the dreary Treaty of Treason. I zone out, instead thinking of the Reaping sphere and how many of those little, neatly folded pieces of paper bear my name. I'm fifteen, so only four. I'm lucky I don't have to take Tesserae, my Dad and I aren't rich, but, we're a lot better off then most people, especially in non-Career Districts. Finally the Mayor leaves and our escort, Bacchus Vin, takes her place. For once he is almost sober, and doesn't fall or embarrass himself and the whole District in front of the whole of Panem. He welcomes us all and, in a slightly slurred voice, wishes us good luck and a happy Hunger Games. I stare at him in disgust. How hard is it not to get drunk for the most important event of the year? Not only is he disgracing himself, but, every single person who lives in District 4! He makes his slow, unstable way to the boy's Reaping sphere. 'Now for our boy tribute! It does start with the boys doesn't it...?' He trails off uncertainly. The mayor hides her blush behind a sheet of hair as the crowd and camera crew titter. The cameras track every second of her embarrassment. Bacchus continues hastily. 'Yes, District 4's male tribute is...' Bacchus roots around in the sphere for a few seconds before extracting a small, white piece of paper. He pauses for effect. 'Ashkr Beech!' The crowd applauds as a small, skinny, dark-haired boy stumbles forward. I am taken aback by how young and vulnerable he looks. My instinct is to protect this tiny twelve-year old. I glare at the applauders and at Bacchus. How dare he choose a child? Then I notice something strange. I lean over to Emily and mutter, 'How come no-one's volunteered?' One of the best things about living in a Career District is that there are almost always people there willing to take your place. Idiots who are glad to go into the arena and fight to the death, for the honour of being a Victor. She looks as confused as I am when she whispers back, 'Dunno, maybe there are no Volunteers this year'. She shrugs and I frown. No Volunteers? This hardly ever happens. My sympathy for Ashkr and our-soon-to be-Reaped female tribute grows. Ashkr is on the stage now, shaking hands with Bacchus. He then stands awkwardly on his own as Bacchus moves to the female Reaping sphere. I hear Emily muttering beside me, 'Please not me, please not me.' I copy her. 'Please don't pick me, anyone but me. Please, please...' And it won't be me, it can't be. Just like Dad said, everything is going to be fine. Four slips, four out of thousands. I'm safe, I'm fine... Bacchus has chosen the name. 'And our female tribute is...' He unfolds the paper slowly. He clears his throat before announcing, 'ANNIE CRESTA!'

Oh f**k.

I'm dead.


	2. Welcome to the Capitol

A/N: Hey, sorry for the delay, but this chapter is finally up. My parents don't know I'm on this, so it takes a while to update. Sorry about that. Hope you enjoy this chapter anyway and don't forget to review if you have the time, it would mean a lot to me.

Chapter 2: Welcome to the Capitol.

No. All the breath leaves my body and I stand frozen. I can't move forward. People turn and stare, but I still can't move. I can barely manage to bluff a poker face and pretend not to care. Emily pushes the small of my back and I regain the ability to move. I thank her silently and walk to the stage. Feigning confidence, I flick my hair over my shoulder and smile and wave at the crowd and the cameras. I shake Bacchus's hand and then Ashkr's. We turn to face the crowd's roar, smiling and waving, before we are whisked away to the Justice Building.

* * *

Emily is my first visitor. She cries and hugs me tightly. 'Annie, you can do this, You can beat them!' I hug her again, she's so sweet, but we both know I can't win. 'I'll try, Emily. I'll try.' I move to hug her again, to hug her goodbye, but she pushes me away. She grips my hand tightly and whispers fiercely, 'You'll do more then bloody _try_! You _are_ going to win this, you are!' Our time is up. The peacekeeper is here again and he leads Emily, who is sobbing again, away. He returns a moment later with Dad. We hug, but only for a few seconds,he pushes me back gently and sits across from me. 'Annie you win do this. Your fast and excellent with a spear. Become a Career, they're cocky and arrogant, but it's your best chance. He leans forward addressing me even more urgently. 'Train hard, show them what you've got and trust _nobody._' 'Your time is up.' The Peacekeeper is back. We hug for the last time, I choke back a sob. I am determined not to cry. 'I can't lose you Annie. Not after Grace.' Before he leaves he presses a small parcel into my hand. 'Your District Token. It was your mother's.' I glance down at the package and when I look up he is gone. I'm not expecting anyone else so I sit down and open the parcel. It's a hair-slide, silver and decorated with tiny pearls. I slide it into my hair and wait for the Peacekeeper to take me to the Tribute Train.

* * *

Bacchus says that the journey will only take around one day. And he's right. The next morning we enter a tunnel and Ashkr and I run to the window. We leave the tunnel and the people at the station cheer when they see us, recognizing a Tribute Train. Ashkr pulls back shyly but I stand my ground waving. smiling and blowing kisses. Hopefully one of these people are rich. The train stops and we are led to the large building where we will stay until the Games.

* * *

Bacchus leads us to our rooms and tells us to clean up before dinner. We will soon be meeting our mentors and stylists. I enter my room. It's roomy, modern and luxurious. I lay on the bed for a while, marveling at it's comfort and warmth. At least I will sleep in comfort for the lasts few nights of my life. Not counting the arena of course, God knows what hell-hole we'll be forced into. I'm seriously beginning to depress myself so I shower quickly, pushing random buttons before drying myself and heading for the wardrobe. The clothes are fancy and expensive looking, I wouldn't be comfortable wearing something so grand. Instead I put my mother's dress back on and leave the room. I go across to Ashkr's room and knock. He comes to the door, his hair is still wet from the shower and he's dressed in the different, more stylish clothes from the Capitol. 'Are you ready to go down yet?' I ask. He shrugs and answers quietly, 'Sure.' We walk quietly downstairs. We don't talk much, but the silences aren't awkward or unfriendly, we're in this together. Even if only one of us can get out. We reach the kitchen and the talking stops. Bacchus does the introductions. The stylists are Rikki and Cheron, they match with they're golden eyes and skin. They smile at us and I relax slightly. I have been nursing a fear about getting a stylist that hated me and dressed me in awful clothes for my appearances, these two looked friendly though and the fear disappears. Next, Bacchus introduced our stylists, Mags and Finnick. Finnick! I can't believe he's mentoring this year, I feel myself blush as I smile at them. I turned to Mags, a female Tribute is almost always mentored by a female Victor. I'm surprised though when I see that she has already begun talking quietly to Ashkr. Finnick walks towards me. Is _he_ going to be my Mentor? Apparently so. He says 'Hello' and asks me how I am. I manage to squeak 'Good'. He smiles and says that he will be my Mentor. Every year he and Mags switch's genders and the last time they mentored, Finnick had a boy and Mags mentored a girl. This time Mags will mentor Ashkr and Finnick will mentor me. Finnick is my Mentor! I fight the smile that threatens to split my face in half. I nod, as if it's no big deal. If I was not heading to the arena in a couple of days and if I wasn't facing the probability of dying when I was got there, I would probably think I was the luckiest girl in Panem right now.

* * *

When dinner is served, Finnick sits next to me and we talk about the Games. 'How do feel about the Games?' He asks first. 'Seriously?' I say and he nods. 'Seriously, I'm scared shitless. I'm so nervous and scared and-' I make myself shut up before I babble any longer. Finnick smiles but it's a sad, sort of angry smile. 'I know, kid, I know. Welcome to the Capitol.'


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hi everyone. I'm just gonna put this up so that my readers know that I've stopped writing this story. I got bored and I'd like to thank everyone who has favourited, reviewed or put this story alert (not that many). Thanks!


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